Chicago Precipitation Update: 2011 Second Wettest Year

The 0.06" of rainfall through 4 pm today pushes the Chicago year-to-date rainfall to 49.41", exceeding the previous second highest annual total recorded in 1983.

Third Warmest Christmas on Record in UK

The Beeb reports that Christmas 2011, the mildest in 90 years, was the third warmest in history for the UK. The highest temperature of 15.1°C was actually reported in the north, at Dyce, Scotland.

For a full video report, click here.

Yet Another Top-10 Warmest Year for Washington; 2011 To Rank 4th Highest in 141-Year Heat Parade

A balmy December is combining with the hottest month ever recorded to close out 2011 as the 4th warmest in Washington DC climate records dating back to 1871. Based on the December average so far of 45.1°, which is 4.7° above the 1981-2010 baseline, the yearly average of 59.9° will edge out 2010 by 0.1° to take the 4th position in the Washington annual heat parade.

Bumping 2006 into the 11th position, this year will take its place as the 5th year out of the last decade to be in the top 11 of all time. Three of the top 6 warmest years have now occurred in the 8 years beginning with 2004.

Projected temperatures for the remainder of this week, while above the seasonal average, will likely lower the monthly mean to 44.6°, but that will not be enough to change the yearly average. The projected average would make this month the 7th warmest December in history.

Indications for rest of winter?

As reported here 6 years ago, December temperatures are virtually uncorrelated with January's in Washington. However, looking just at the warmest Decembers, there is some indication that seasonal snowfall is likely to be below average. For the previous 10 warmest Decembers, the average total seasonal snowfall was 12.5", compared with a 1981-2010 average of 14.5". Only 3 out of the 10 seasons were above average. The highest was 27.6" in 1982-1983. Note, however, that 6.6" of that had already fallen in December, compared with a trace this year; the remainder occurred in February.

Images (click to enlarge): Top 10 warmest years and warmest Decembers in Washington DC; Total seasonal snowfall following warmest Decembers in Washington; CapitalClimate charts from National Weather Service data, background images © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com)

The Quest for Energy: Good News and Bad News

The good news: There's plenty of oil.
The bad news: We're going to burn it all.
Author Daniel Yergin discusses his book The Quest on the PBS News Hour; unlike in some previous interviews, the subject of climate is actually raised:

Watch Author Daniel Yergin on U.S. Need for a 'Diversified Energy Portfolio' on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

Pre-Christmas Heat Update: Records Set in NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA

Preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center show that at least 13 major daily high temperature records were set or tied yesterday from Virginia to New York (alphabetically by state):

                                    Previous         Period of
Location                            Record   Date    Record (yr)      
DE WILMINGTON NEW CASTLE (KILG)  62   58   12/21/1949  67
NJ ATLANTIC CITY INTL AP (KACY)  63   61   12/21/1973  64
NJ NEWARK INTL AP (KEWR)         62   61   12/21/1957  76
NJ MILLVILLE MUNI AP (KMIV)      61   60   12/21/1990  61
NY NY CITY CNTRL PARK (KNYC)     62   62   12/21/1923 135
NY NEW YORK LA GUARDIA AP (KLGA) 61   59   12/21/1993  63
NY NEW YORK JFK INTL AP (KJFK)   59   57   12/21/1957  63
NY WESTCHESTER CO AP (KHPN)      59   57   12/21/2002  49
PA PHILADELPHIA INTL AP (KPHL)   63   59   12/21/1990  70
PA MIDDLETOWN HARRISBG AP (KMDT) 59   59   12/21/1998  67
PA DUBOIS FAA AP (KDUJ)          54   54   12/21/1988  44
PA BRADFORD RGNL AP (KBFD)       53   51   12/21/1988  54
VA WASHGTN DULLES INTL AP (KIAD) 61   60   12/21/1998  49  

As previously noted, a record was also set at Baltimore.

The total number of daily low temperature records set or tied in all 50 states yesterday: 1.

Pre-Christmas Warmth Breaks Mid-Atlantic Temperature Records

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 11 pm EST, December 21, 2011, from Unisys

Southerly winds ahead of a strong storm system have broken daily temperature records from Virginia to New York this evening. At Kennedy Airport, New York the previous record high for December 21 was 56° in 1973, but the 11 pm temperature is 57°, where it has been for the last 2 hours. Other preliminary records set or tied (previous records in parentheses) include:

LaGuardia NY          61° (59°, 1993 and 1973)
Atlantic City NJ      63° (62°, 1923)
Reading PA            61° (tie, 1923)
Washington Dulles VA  61° (60°, 1998 and 1971) 
Baltimore/BWI MD      63° (61°, 1956 and 1885)  

Earlier this evening, the temperature at Central Park, New York, where records began in 1869, reached at least 61°, but the record high there was 62° in 1923.

Record Daily Rainfall Pushes Chicago Toward 2nd Wettest Year

December 15 Update: Yesterday's final rainfall total of 1.43" exceeded the old daily record at Chicago by over 40%. The monthly total to date, including an additional 0.02" today, brings the annual amount to 49.20", only 0.15" below the second highest on record.

Original post:
Today's heavy rainfall at Chicago set a daily record for December 14 and pushed the annual total closer to the second wettest year in 140 years of records. The 1.13" reported in the preliminary daily summary as of 4 pm CST exceeded the 0.99" first observed in 1907 and tied in 1975. The year to date total of 48.88" is 36% above the normal amount of 35.83". This is the third highest annual total, behind:

1) 2008   50.86"   
2) 1983   49.35"  

The 1.35" at Peoria also exceeded the daily record of 1.14" in 1975. The year to date total there of 39.12", however, is behind the 41.29" last year.

The 0.5" of snow so far this month at Chicago is well below the average amount of 3.3". Last year at this time, the monthly total was 6.9". Temperatures so far in December have averaged 4.2° above normal.